Tape belt for spindle drives



Dec. 23, 1941. w s

TAPE BELT FOR SPINDLE DR IVEs Filed Feb. 6, 1940 INVENTOR.

Q M v ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 23, 1941 UNITED STATE TENT OFFICE TAPE BELT FOR SPINDLE DRIVES Arthur P. Lewis, Fairhaven, Mass.

Application February 6, 1940, Serial No. 317,495 7 Claims. 01. 74-231) This invention relates to a tape belt for a spindle drive.

In general, the object of the invention is to produce a novel and improved tape belt for driving spindles and which possesses various advantages as will be described, over any of the prior types of tape belts heretofore employed in driving spindles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of splice by which the abutting ends of a length of tape may be joined to produce an improved tape belt for driving spindles.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel tape in which provision is made for accurately defining the cutting lines upon which successive lengths of the tape may be severed from a roll of tape to produce a predetermined length of tape in a condition ready to be assembled to produce a tape belt by means of a simple connecting link.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method by which the belt sections for producing the improved tape belt may be produced in an accurate and efficient manner.

With these general objects in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the tape belt, the splice and in the tape hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawing, Figs. 1 and 2 are views in side and front elevation illustrating a roll of the web from which the present belt sections may be produced in accordance with the present method; Figs. 3 and 4 are details in plan and side elevation respectively illustrating a portion of the web prior to being severed to form a belt section; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the completed tape belt for a spindle drive, Figs. 6 and 7 are details in side elevation and plan respectively of the joint between the ends of the belt section; Fig. 8 is a sectional detail illustrating the assembly of the two ends of the tape in the connecting link; and Figs. 9 and 10 are details in side elevation illustrating a modified form of the tape and joint respectively, to be hereinafter referred to.

Prior to the present invention, various types of connectors have been proposed for joining together the ends of a tape to form an endless tape belt for use in spindle drives. Of the various methods of producing such belts, the one most 7 overlapped and sewn together to produce a sewn joint. The sewing operation and the passage of the needle through the tape operates to weaken the tape so that experience has shown that many failures occur at the edge of the sewn splice and in addition, the stiffness of the overlapped sewn joint increases the power required in driving the spindle and the thickened joint itself, in passing over the spindle, operates to vary the speed of the spindle with accompanying variations in the twist of the yarn, all,of which the present invention seeks to eliminate.

In addition to the sewn types of joints, various mechanical joints have been heretofore proposed including metal clips between the jaws of which the ends of the tape are pinched and also including the buckle type in which compressed jaws hold the ends of the tape. Various objections have been experienced in these mechanical types of joints, among which it may be mentioned that the joint is objectionably bulky, that the sharp metal edges are extremely dangerous to the spinners fingers, and also that the mechanical holding of the ends of the tape operates to soon fray out the end of the tape with accompanying failure. The clamp type above referred to is objectionable in that excessive power is required and the metal clamp is exposed to impact involving the risk of producing sparking and the accompanying danger of fire and the efficiency of the joint depends to a large extent upon the degreeof care with which the operator assembles and then pinches the clamp on the ends of the tape section. In addition to the ob-- jectionable features of the clamp type of mechanical joint, the buckle type has the further disadvantage of stripping the filling from the end of the tape, loosening the hold of the clamp upon the tape and producing an early failure of the tape drive.

In accordance with the present invention, a novel and improved connection is made between the ends of a length or section I2 of tape in-order to produce a belt for a spindle drive by the provision of non-metallic lugs l4, IE on the two end portions of a tape section I2 and the lugs l4, iii are embraced by a simple connecting link 24 preferably of rounded wire and having a slot 26 through which the tape ends may be threaded during the assembly or connection of the link with the lugs. In order to reduce to a minimum any tendency of the ends of the tape to fray and in order to reenforce the same, it is preferred to impregnate the end portions of the tape with a cementitious material and to construct. the lugs l4, it of a molded synthetic oil resisting plastic. The lugs may and preferably will be of special formation having a rounded head and when assembled, the lugs l4, l6 cooperate to form an enlarged head under which the connecting link 24 is disposed and the width of the lugs and link are desirably less than the width of the tape to reduce to a minimum any contact of the metal link 24 with the spindle.

In producingythe=present individuallength of tape, it is preferred to first fabricate airelatively long length of tape so as to provide the spaced intervals corresponding to the length of the; tape which is to form the tape beltondrive with successive pairs of lugs l4, l6 formedth'ereonfin any suitable manner. The long length of-tape may be wound on a reel 10, and in practice, at predetermined intervals along "the-length of-"tl1e tape, these pairs of lugs l4, [5 may be molded di rectly thereon under heat and pressure so as to thoroughly. impregnate: the; material. of: thetape with 1 the synthetic:- plastic zandsto form= the-upstanding pairs of 'rlugs transversely 0f itheatape at intervals along the?lengtltr'thereof, spaced so that whenzth'e itapeeis severed along: a dine beween the lugs of each pair, there-isproducewan individual tape .section. I8 (see :-Fig-... 2):, having: an: indi vidua-l lug: I4, I 6: at. each .end thereof andof'an' accurate; and predetermined :length' ready to-' be used .b'y the operator. inlprodu'cing an endless belt' 30 or'tape .driveuforza spindle. In .practi'ce thetwo ends of the tape are threadedthroughz'the slot in the" center of :one endofl the connecting link 24-, see; Fig; 8, andethe tape drawn :down 1 inthe position showrr in Fig. 26' iwhere :thelink: 24 isdis-' posed under: the headsioff the lugs l 4, l fi iand between the same and theztapess- From the description fithus farandJby reference to: the drawing; it wilLbeiobserved -that"the-present constructiorriofrtapewbelt 'may be economically manufactured and; preferablyby thepresent method whereby individual: beit sections-= l8 of predetermined lengthlmay bezaccurately cut fromthe elongated: web or roll of theetape The irn pregnation :Oflfthe end portionsrofindividual belt" sectionsscontributes greatlyto -tlfe durability of the :tapelbeltrin use and f I liaveexperienced sat isfactory resultswutilizingasynthetic rubber marketedrunde'r the trade. name Neoprene: C? "and int.which,:in its more :fluidform; cam be-used=for impregnating .the tape, and in its moresolid form, can bemolded into the-shape required and bondedto the impregnated section; Whileit'is preferreduto use -this:synthetic composition: it is to'rbe understood that-other equivalenfiand suit able materials maybe used;

As illustrated Y in Figgflj Ilmay =prefer 'to form" the lugs;- M; l5 .'on the surface ofthe section 18- which-:is to form the drivingzsurface of the belt; and in connecting the two ends of the section: the, same maybe folded "under-as *shownin Fig. 9 to;present the lugs 4; I fi upon' th'enon-driving-" surface of the belt andto present a smooth run= ningdriving surf ace;

Having :thus describedthe invention; what is claimed is:

1. A belt structure adapted to have its ends connected together to formanendless belt, saidi structure comprising, a flexible beltsection having thickened endportions which are substantially thicker than the remainderof saidbeltj said thickened end portions extending across at least a major, portioniof the endseof said belt; said bent :being isufliciently fiexible tcv enable' its ends tozbe bentsoutwardlyiaway from the driving sur-- 70 ertnan theremainder oft'said'belt, said thickened end portions extending across at least a major portion of the width of said belt but terminating short of the edges of said belt, said belt being sufllclently flexible to enable its ends to be bent outwardly away from the driving surface of thBrbElt to position said thickened end portions in contact with each other, and an elongated connecting link extending transversely of said belt-for embracing said belt ends adjacent said thickened end portions for connecting said ends ofsaid bel-t' together, said-link being positioned on the side of saidbelt opposite the driving'sur face and having its ends terminating short of the Width of'said belt:

3; A belt structure adapted to have 'itsendst connected togetherto form-an endless'belt, said structure comprising, a flexible belt section having a lug at each of its ends, said lugs providing end belt sections which are substantially thicker than the remainder ofsaid belt and'which' extend across atleast a" major portion ofsaid: belt; said-belt being sufiiciently ffexible to enable its ends carrying said lugs to be bent outwardly away-from the-driving surface of the belt and positioned adjacent each other, and a connectinglink for embracing said belt adjacent said lugs for connecting said ends together.

4; A belt structure having its endsconnected" together to form an endless belt; said" structure comprising, a flexible fabric belt sectionhaving a lug at each of its ends, saidglugs'being'formed' of plastic. materialbonded-to the-fabric of said belt and providing: end" belt sections: which arev substantially thicker than the remaindrof saidi belt and which extend acrossat least"the'major portion of said belt; the ends ofsaid be1tsec-.- tion being bentoutwardly away from" the driving surface of the-bel-t and positioned adjacent 'ea'chv other, anda connecting linkembracinggsaid belt:

1 ends adjacent'said lugs.

5. A belt structure having its ends connected together to forman'endless-gbelt;v said structure comprising; a flexiblefab'ricbeltsection having. a lug at each ofits ends, said lugsbeing"formed Z of resilient oilresisting-synthetic plastic material bonded to the fabric of'said beltand'provid-. ingend beltsections which" are substantlally, thicker than-the remainderrof said beltandwhichz extend across at least'itl'ie majonportion. of 'said i (30% belt; the ends-of saidb'elt"'sectionbeingbent out wardly away from-thedrivingsurface of "the belt, and-positionedadjacent eachcther; and.a connecting link embracing :said'belt ends 1 adjacent said lugs.

5+ 6. A tape belt" StIlICtlll'ElfOI'l spindle drives adapted to havegits ends-connected;togetherito form an endless belt," said "structure compris'ing;;a textile belt section having a" lug' at'each of its ends, said 'lugs being: formed "of resilient oil re 7m-siSting-pl-astic' material bonded to the teXtileLofthicker than the remainder of said belt and which extend across at least the major portion of said belt, said belt being suificiently flexible to enable its ends carrying said lugs to be bent outwardly away from the driving surface of the belt and positioned adjacent each other and a connecting link embracing said belt adjacent said lugs for connecting said ends together, said link being provided with a slot through which the textile 10 belt may be threaded in assembling the link.

ARTHUR P. LEWIS. 

